Chaos

Charles Manson, the CIA and the Secret History of the Sixties

By: Tom O’Neill, Dan Piepenbring

Narrated by: Kevin Stillwell

Length: 16 hrs and 14 mins

Publisher's Summary

Penguin presents the audiobook edition of Chaos written by Tom O'Neill with Dan Piepenbring, read by Kevin Stillwell.

A journalist’s 20-year obsession with the Manson murders brings shocking revelations about the most infamous crimes in American history: carelessness from police, misconduct by prosecutors and even potential surveillance by intelligence agents. What really happened in 1969?

In 1999, when Tom O’Neill was assigned a magazine piece about the 30th anniversary of the Manson murders, he worried there was nothing new to say. Weren’t the facts indisputable? Charles Manson had ordered his teenage followers to commit seven brutal murders and in his thrall, they’d gladly complied. But when O’Neill began reporting the story, he kept finding holes in the prosecutor Vincent Bugliosi’s narrative, long enshrined in the best-selling Helter Skelter. Before long, O’Neill had questions about everything from the motive to the manhunt. Though he’d never considered himself a conspiracy theorist, the Manson murders swallowed the next two decades of his career. He was obsessed.

Searching but never speculative, Chaos follows O’Neill’s 20-year effort to rebut the ‘official’ story behind Manson. Who were his real friends in Hollywood and how far would they go to hide their ties? Why didn’t law enforcement act on their many chances to stop him? And how did he turn a group of peaceful hippies into remorseless killers? O’Neill’s hunt for answers leads him from reclusive celebrities to seasoned spies, from the Summer of Love to the shadowy sites of the CIA’s mind-control experiments, on a trail rife with cover-ups and coincidences.

Featuring hundreds of new interviews and dozens of never-before-seen documents from the LAPD, the FBI and the CIA, Chaos mounts an argument that could be, according to Los Angeles Deputy District Attorney Steven Kay, strong enough to overturn the verdicts on the Manson murders. In those two dark nights in Los Angeles, O’Neill finds the story of California in the '60s: when charlatans mixed with prodigies, free love was as possible as brainwashing and utopia - or dystopia - was just an acid trip away.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2019 Tom O’Neill and Dan Piepenbring (P)2019 Penguin Audio

Disappointing

While I went into reading the book with a complete open mind and having finished Helier Skelter recently, I found Tom O'Neill's book disappointing. After watching his Podcast with Joe Rogan, I was really hoping that there would be some major revelation about what really happened, but he never had any solid conclusions other than all the speculative inferences he made. Most of the documentation referenced could always be interpreted with a conspiratorial angle. Conveniently, all the conspirators that are implicated in the book are dead. All the people O'Neill implicates as having covered up the "real" motives for the murders are no longer around to defend themselves.

While I don't doubt that the author was forensically thorough with the research, I would have loved for there to have been some sort of finality in O'Neill's ending. You know, nail your colours to the mast. I can't help but feel that O'Neill had a major beef with Bugliosi.

Great book makes you rethink the Manson case

The books into a lot of detail in the life of an investigative reporter. Great book. I’ve read it twice now.

Chaos

A very long diatribe about 20years of finding nothing. So disappointing. Not recommended at all

Chias a must read

A thought provoking read and listen. . Eye opener into FBI after years of investigating. Could not put it down.

Brilliant!

So interesting and well researched. I want more books on conspiracy and cover up please Tom O’Neill!

Excellent

A great read taking place in the real world that reads more like fiction. Well researched

The truth is always stronger than the lie.

The author thoroughly and meticulously states the case that the Manson family murders were far more than the crazed, hippie killings as laid out in Helter-skelter.

The author went to great lengths to uncover the truth behind the infamous murders. The phrase, fact is always stranger than fiction jumps to mind with this book.

I usually steer clear of the true crime genre but absolutely loved this captivating piece. Would highly recommend.

Absorbing & very well researched

Fantastic narration of an utterly enthralling story. A very broad spectrum re-think of the whole Tate/Manson story. Thoroughly fascinating. Strongly recommended.

excellent work

this is a very noble attempt to tell the true, unknown story of the case. a difficult job.
book is well written and well performed.
the author deserves a lot of credit. Bugliosi is a snake., as his Warren commission whitewash proves, but the stories here will tell you much more about this conniving c**t.

Poor

Full of dead ends, confusion and digressions. No focus and now totally irrelevant. Really disappointing

Excellent

I have read lots of books about serial killers, the CIA, Manson and the Lauel Canyon hippie, music and movie scene. The amount of research that went into this book is astounding and the book is a credit to the author in my opinion.

Eye opening. Riviting. Thought provoking.

It's not a conspiracy theory when it's true. I'd love to see Tom do one on the JFK assassination.

Amazing book. I highly recommend. Watch JRE too!!!

Amazing book. I highly recommend. Watch The Joe Rogan Experience with Tom as a guest

Fresh perspective on the era.

Offers a fresh perspective on the crimes of Manson and his family by detailing how much of the ‘Helter Skelter’ narrative was forced into shape. At no point does the author in anyway suggest that Manson and those involved in the Tate/LaBianca slayings are innocent, however, he does call into question the true order of events and motives that culminated in those deaths. No clear answers are provided but enough diligently sought out evidence, some hidden from prosecution and defense at the time of the killlings, has been opened up to the public to allow for a review of a case that continues to provoke interest. Interesting and fun overall. Narration was fine with just a few pronunciation errors. Overall recommended.

So Plausible

This book asks questions and digs into common sense motives and the goings on of American life which goes some way to explaining the grotesque ness of the America we see today. This Book is a must for anyone with any interest in Manson and or the period from the 1950’s till now.

Wow

I have nothing but respect for the downright outrageous Journalism this man has conducted. Absolutely incredible, it’s like 5 or 6 major stories in one, I imagine I’ll still be processing it long after listening.